Education
- Doctorate of Education. University of Idaho: Moscow, ID
- Dissertation: Student Use of Example Generation to Understand Novel Mathematical Concepts: A Teaching Experiment in a First-Semester Calculus Course
- Masters of Arts in Mathematics with Distinction. California State University at Fresno: Fresno, CA
- Thesis: The Mathieu Group M24: A Combinatorial Approach using a Variation of the Miracle Octad Generator.
- Received membership in Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
- Bachelor of Science Degree in mathematics with logic minor. Brigham Young University: Provo, UT
- Received the BYU Presidential Scholarship, Westberry-Griffis Scholarship, Mathematics Scholarship and the Deans Scholarship.
- Received membership in Golden Key National Honor Society.
Interests
Increasing student agency in learning. Student generation and use of examples in learning mathematics. Building students’ productive disposition: increasing students’ personal efficacy and belief in diligence and their habit of seeing mathematics as useful and powerful. Inquiry-based learning in mathematics.
Work Experience
- Mathematics Faculty: Brigham Young University-Idaho, Rexburg ID Aug 2010 – Present.
- FDMAT 108 Course Lead
- Foundations Quantitative Reasoning Area Chair
- Mathematics Instructor: Sierra College, Rocklin CA Aug 2001–June 2005.
- Taught different levels of algebra using the Academic Systems/Plato Learning computer mediated systems, serving to develop increased insight into methods for student success in algebra.
- Mathematics Instructor: College of the Sequoias, Visalia, CA Jan 1998- May 2001.
- Worked with students from varying backgrounds to help them feel confident in the ability to conquer math problems.
- Noted for ability to simplify difficult concepts to facilitate student learning and success.
- Mathematics Instructor: Kings River Community College-Clovis Center, Clovis, CA August 1997 – May 1998.
- Noted for illustrating progressive steps in teaching problem solving.
Research
Presentations
- International Congress on Mathematical Education: Hamburg, GERMANY July 26 and 29, 2016. Presented research and facilitated a discussion group in conjunction with colleagues, S. Orme & D. Romrell on engaging students in activities that lead to deep student learning at the secondary and tertiary levels.
- Brigham Young University-Idaho: Rexburg, ID March 1 2016. Devotional address: Becoming Whole Through the Atonement of Christ.
- Mathematical Association of America, Intermountain Section Meeting: Provo, UT March 21, 2015. Presented research on the changes in students’ views of their ability to learn and do mathematics that occurred as they were taught to generate examples in calculus.
- Joint Mathematics Meeting: San Antonio, TX Jan 10, 2015. Presented in the Mathematical Association of America session focusing on the scholarship of teaching and learning in collegiate mathematics in which I shared research on the implementation of student-generated examples in calculus and subsequent changes in student attitudes.
- International Congress on Mathematical Education: Seoul, KOREA July 14, 2012. Presented research poster in conjunction with colleagues, S. Orme & H. Turner, highlighting the identification, teaching, and retention of mathematical students.
Publications
- R. Wagner, S. M. Orme, H. J. Turner & D. Yopp (2017) Encouraging Example Generation: A Teaching Experiment in First-Semester Calculus, PRIMUS, 27:2, 212-234, DOI: 10.1080/10511970.2016.1194340
- Romrell, G. Saunders, E. R. Wagner (2017) Decision Making through the Quantitative Reasoning Process. Etext FDMAT 108, Brigham Young University – Idaho.
Current Projects
- Continued improvement in student learning in FDMAT 108.
Biography
I have been married to Thomas Wagner for 28 joyful years. We have four sons, one daughter, and one beautiful granddaughter. I have juggled seasons of education with seasons of full-time mothering. I spend my time balancing work and family, attending cultural and sporting events featuring Wagner children, serving in my ward, jogging, and balancing boards on water, in both solid and liquid form. I love teaching at BYU-Idaho and sharing, in a small way, the lives of the exceptional people here. With my husband, the best and hardest thing I have ever done is having and raising our children.